They’re one of the thousands of US teachers pledging to continue educating students about the controversial Critical Race Theory, which explains racism is embedded in US culture and politics.
The Canyon teacher wrote "We must teach our children all aspects of our history, no matter how ugly. We are not teaching children to hate white people or the concept of being white. We are teaching them to be critical thinkers and learn from the mistakes of our past so we can have a more tolerant society. I refuse to bow to conservative fear-mongering." when pledging to teach Critical Race Theory.
Though the concept was first suggested in the late 70’s, it has recently exploded as a contentious issue between the American right and left in the last two years.
Many who signed the pledge are defying state bans on the teachings. Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas have passed legislation banning discussions about the US being inherently racist.
Other states, such as Montana and South Dakota, have denounced the teachings without passing specific legislation.
In an interview with The Washington Free Beacon, Ashley Varner of the Freedom Foundation accused the Zinn Education Project of providing “left-leaning propaganda to teachers.”
| Teachers | Thoughts on Critical Race Theory |
|---|---|
| Parker Kershen | We must teach our children all aspects of our history, no matter how ugly. We are not teaching children to hate white people or the concept of being white. We are teaching them to be critical thinkers and learn from the mistakes of our past so we can have a more tolerant society. I refuse to bow to conservative fear-mongering. |
Alerts Sign-up